Posted on 07/04/2009 8:09:14 AM PDT by Mom MD
Today is day one! Armstrong riding. Astana is back! Predictions? Other comments? Does someone have the ping list from last year?
Weather not as bad as forecast suggested. Not yet, at least. No sign of t-storms per announcers.
Cancellara bumps Ignatiev by 12”
Spread is now 8’08”
Raining now, so much for it holding off.
Do we have a ‘bunny hop count’ yet, seems to be Phil’s word of the day.
News Flash from the TdF site, read bottom up.
15:48 - Here Comes The Rain
It’s now raining in Annecy. The conditions are going to be completely different for the GC favorites than it was for Ignatiev and Cancellara...!
15:47 - Dark Clouds Hovering Above Annecy
The clouds over the time trial course are getting much darker. There is still no rain falling but don’t be surprised if the last riders have to deal with wet roads...
15:43 - Evans Loses 1’07” In 18km
At the first check, Evans is well down. He has lost 1’07” which makes the Australian 16th best at the 18km mark. This is not the rider who a year ago was trying to win the Tour in the final time trial of the race. He is the only Australian to have won a Tour TT, back in the year he first finished second overall (when he actually finished second to Vinokourov in Albi but was later advised that he was, in fact, the fastest clean rider in the 13th stage of 2007).
“It’s now raining in Annecy. The conditions are going to be completely different for the GC favorites than it was for Ignatiev and Cancellara...!”
Good. Bad weather adds uncertainty and puts Contador’s wide lead position more at risk.
Seems like the consensus is that helps Lance. Probably means that none of these at the end surpass Cancellara, but the rain could cause a big shakeup. I was hoping Lance won and somewhat indifferent towards Contador at the beginning of the tour, but after disobeying team strategy twice this tour I’m kind of in the anybody but AC camp. I don’t know the protocol on storns but if they make him go no matter what he could be hurt tremendously by the storm although I don’t expect it.
Cancellara was in at 48’34”.
IIRC the time cut is 25% of the leader’s time. Don’t have the exact stats but with a 8’08” gap right now the slower riders should be safe.
To start knocking of riders somebody will have to get something like 3 minutes under Cancellara.
Neither rain, nor snow nor sleet.............
Gustav Larsson still #3!
Just sayin’
” I’m still holding out hope that Apple is a sponsor, I’m an unabashed fanboy. Someone on Twitter said they thought Lance was an HP guy and he responsed “Apple guy...” Maybe I’m reading too much into it, but it would be a pretty cool sponsor.”
Nike/Apple. Would be great to have an American sponsored high powered team.
I think Johan will join Lance regardless of sponsor.
Anyway. Good luck to Lance to get onto the podium.
” “I told [Contador], ‘you don’t have to attack today to win the Tour de France.’ The difference was already there to Bradley Wiggins, who we were most worried about,” said Bruyneel.”
That says it all. Alberto is looking ahead for himself, and probably another team. To not listen to Johan, especially since he has guided him/Lance to tour wins is unacceptable...
15’ to 1st time check for LA?
Contador couldn’t ride last year due to ‘political reasons’. lol
Vande Velde is next at the first time check - now it starts to get interesting. Anyone watching this who can give a bit of commentary on weather and how the GC riders look?
Phil just noted that LA’s #21 indicates that he’s team leader (AC is #22).
Sorry, I typed that backwards, AC is #21.
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